diff --git a/src/cli_util.rs b/src/cli_util.rs
index c0a3c368a..d5f59f5b3 100644
--- a/src/cli_util.rs
+++ b/src/cli_util.rs
@@ -1422,10 +1422,10 @@ pub fn run_ui_editor(settings: &UserSettings, edit_path: &PathBuf) -> Result<(),
 pub fn short_commit_description(commit: &Commit) -> String {
     let first_line = commit.description().split('\n').next().unwrap();
     format!(
-        "{} ({})",
+        "{} {}",
         short_commit_hash(commit.id()),
         if first_line.is_empty() {
-            "no description set"
+            "(no description set)"
         } else {
             first_line
         }
diff --git a/tests/test_checkout.rs b/tests/test_checkout.rs
index 0220ebaae..495d15b0c 100644
--- a/tests/test_checkout.rs
+++ b/tests/test_checkout.rs
@@ -67,10 +67,10 @@ fn test_checkout_not_single_rev() {
     Error: Revset "root..@" resolved to more than one revision
     Hint: The revset resolved to these revisions:
     2f8593712db5 (no description set)
-    5c1afd8b074f (fifth)
-    009f88bf7141 (fourth)
-    3fa8931e7b89 (third)
-    5c52832c3483 (second)
+    5c1afd8b074f fifth
+    009f88bf7141 fourth
+    3fa8931e7b89 third
+    5c52832c3483 second
     ...
     "###);
 
@@ -78,19 +78,19 @@ fn test_checkout_not_single_rev() {
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
     Error: Revset "root..@-" resolved to more than one revision
     Hint: The revset resolved to these revisions:
-    5c1afd8b074f (fifth)
-    009f88bf7141 (fourth)
-    3fa8931e7b89 (third)
-    5c52832c3483 (second)
-    69542c1984c1 (first)
+    5c1afd8b074f fifth
+    009f88bf7141 fourth
+    3fa8931e7b89 third
+    5c52832c3483 second
+    69542c1984c1 first
     "###);
 
     let stderr = test_env.jj_cmd_failure(&repo_path, &["checkout", "@-|@--"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
     Error: Revset "@-|@--" resolved to more than one revision
     Hint: The revset resolved to these revisions:
-    5c1afd8b074f (fifth)
-    009f88bf7141 (fourth)
+    5c1afd8b074f fifth
+    009f88bf7141 fourth
     "###);
 
     let stderr = test_env.jj_cmd_failure(&repo_path, &["checkout", "none()"]);